Those were the days...
by ShadowQuirk
Summary: Well, it's all said in the title. Ponyboy leaves home. Why? What about the others? What reactions would they have?


A/N : Well. This is one of the stories that I wrote when my english class was doing a unit on The Outsiders. I decided that the story (along with my other one, plz read that too) was too good to waste with only my english teacher reading it.  
  
Diclaimer: I may be only 3 years smaller than the author when she wrote it, but in no way could I write a story like hers threes years later. In other words, I am merely 'borrowing' her characters and own no one in this story. Well…ENJOY and don't forget to review, it means a lot to me.  
  
Epilogue  
  
When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the air-conned stadium, I felt a wave of heat hit me across the face. I sighed out loud at the weather – I still hadn't gotten completely used to it. Squinting at the setting sun, I tightened my hand on my duffel bag that held my trainers and began my long trek back to my hotel.  
  
"Hey buddy, gotta lighter on you?" I jumped at the sound of the voice, I had been too lost with my thoughts to notice that a guy a little younger then me had stood next to me, waiting for my answer.  
  
"Nope, sorry, ain't smoking anymore." I looked longingly at the cigarette, "I'm not allowed." But I still want to.  
  
"Coward!" Making a rude gesture at me the boy ran back to his gang, who were waiting for him at the corner.  
  
Anger started bubbling inside me, like a dormant volcano about to awaken. How I long to tell them I wasn't chicken, to take hold of them and knock it into their heads that I had a perfectly good reason not to smoke. My fists were held into tight balls, I haven't felt this way since two years ago, when Johnny…..  
  
I took a deep breath and counted to ten, they weren't worth it. Heaving another sigh, I started to trudge along the path, running away with my thoughts….  
  
~*~  
  
As I pushed open the door to my semi-permanent home, I noticed that an envelope had been slipped under the door. I picked it up and smiled upon noticing who had sent it to me. Glancing around the messy room, my eyes fell upon a inconspicuous looking box. It was the most important item in the room, if there was a fire—no, any emergency— it would be the thing I took first, over my travelling identification items. Hugging the box to my chest, I brought it over to my bed—the only neat space in my room— and delicately pried open the box.  
  
I knew what would be at the top. This piece of paper looked weary, as if it had been erased over and over with a rubber to get it's contents right. This dated back to way before, before It had happened. It wasn't as important as the letter I had in the bottom of my box. But it had marked my first time of being jumped.  
  
c  
  
Outside  
  
Evading the truth.  
  
Running,  
  
Away from everything  
  
Looking for a loop  
  
Never finding it  
  
Standing at the rim  
  
Alone  
  
An outcast  
  
Everyone  
  
Turning away from me  
  
I'm always on the outside  
  
Looking in.  
  
c/  
  
It wasn't exactly true, I know. But I had an English assignment that was due the next day and I was planning to do it before I was jumped. I was too tired to write a whole essay so I turned in the poem in hope of getting at least a D. It was good exercise for me, it vented off my anger on the Socs and made me complete my homework. Two birds with one stone. No words could explain the look on my face when I got my first A for that poem, it was also then that I realised my love of writing.  
  
I turned to the next item in my box. It was a letter, folded and unfolded numerous times, read again and again as if the contents were too good to be true.  
  
To Ponyboy Curtis:  
  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into the state track team. You have been observed by us during the past week and have passed our requirements with flying results. You will be given a scholarship to study at our Sports Institute in Texas and place to live in a hotel. The scholarship is only offered to 4 promising students every two years and is a once in a lifetime opportunity to further your studies as well as your talents. It lasts for two years and we are confident that by the time you finished it, you will be one of our representatives at the Nationwide Competition.  
  
Please consider our offer with your family and teachers. It is something everybody yearns to receive and is an offer not to turn down.  
  
Once you have a reply, please…  
  
I stopped reading the letter, I practically had every word memorised, of course I would, it was the turning point of my life. I still remembered the look on Darry and Sodapop's face when I showed the letter to them. Smirking, I recalled the frenzy after doing so.  
  
"Oh God! Pony, we're so proud of you"  
  
"The state track team! Well, little buddy, won't everybody be in shock when they hear this."  
  
They certainly did. The gang's reactions were even bigger.  
  
"Nationwide Comp. Wow! Pony, I couldn't even get onto the school team!" That was Steve.  
  
"We'll be buying popcorn and sitting in front of the telly to watch you lose…." This was of course the always joking Two-Bit.  
  
I had remembered running happily over to the park to tell Johnny, before I realised he was gone. Everybody urged me to go to Texas. And I went, partly because of Johnny, telling me to live my life to the fullest. It hadn't hurt now, to think of the quiet and meek boy that had given his life to save people. Sometimes I would wonder what he would say if he had been alive.  
  
I put the letter aside and picked up another letter in the box.  
  
Dear Ponyboy,  
  
You diggin' okay? I heard from Sodapop that you were given a place in the State track team. I hope you don't mind me writing to you. Sodapop gave me the address. Randy wrote to me, he ran away to his grandparent's house and is doing okay. He asked me about you. The Socs aren't as violent as before when Bob…you know. He was kind of like their leader. Bob leaving me is always a bad thing to me, you never knew his good side, but it's kind of hard to not admit that with him not being here the Socs are changing, for the better.  
  
Are the sunsets in Texas any good? They are as wonderful as ever down on the West side. You're tuff, Pony, you'll do okay.  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Cherry.  
  
Clipped underneath this letter, were numerous other letters that Cherry had sent to me during these past two years, making it somewhat easy to endure. We had made sure that we would send the reply within a week after we received a letter. She was like my confidant in my problems and secrets, vice versa.  
  
The last item in my treasured box was also a letter. I gently picked up the fragile paper—it was creased and taped in many places. At the sight of Johnny's familiar writing, my eyes filled up. I could almost hear his voice.  
  
"Hey Pony! Wanna play ball?"  
  
My eyes scanned the letter that had helped me over come my hardships, and problems. It made me feel better when I was down. Most of all, it kept me in line when I couldn't put up with the pressure everybody was giving me, it made me feel ashamed of myself. Ashamed that I wouldn't go on, when he wanted to and couldn't. Stay gold Ponyboy. Stay gold…  
  
Those were his last words to me, to everybody and I will make sure that no one will forget it.  
  
My eyes strayed upon the unopened letter lying on my bed. I wiped my eyes with my sleeves and ripped it open.  
  
Deerest Ponyboy,  
  
Hey Soda, you sound as if you were writing to your girlfriend. This is Two- Bit here, notice the difference in spelling. I spell good! No you don't, you just use you head to grow hair. Pony, this is Darry, how are you doing? I hope you have given up smoking completely, it's for your own good. Don't stop smoking -Steve here- else you'll turn respectable and all. I heard your going to the Nationwide next month, we'll look out for you on the telly. Yeah, to see our favourite Pony lose. Hey Two-bit, you watch your pen there, don't bully our Pony.  
  
We all miss you over here. Be sure to come straight home after the Nationwide Competition. Not before you pick up some girls. Yeah, we won't let you come in the door unless you bring back a medal and a girl. Skip the girl bit, but make sure you bring a medal home. Pony, don't listen to them, do your best and we'll all be proud of you. Right?  
  
Umm, yes?  
  
Yeah.  
  
Sure, just bring a girl and we'll be even prouder.  
  
Your best buddies,  
  
Darry,  
  
Sodapop  
  
Two-bit  
  
Steve  
  
I laughed outloud at the letter's contents. It was good to let out some tension, I was too worked up for the championships. It was good to know that the boys back home still thought of me.  
  
Glancing at the clock on the wall, I realised that I still had enough time to write a reply before dinner. I sat down on my messy desk and cleared a spot to write on. After rummaging around for a piece of clean paper and a usable pen. I finally started to write.  
  
Dear Greasers,  
  
Do you have enough grease in your hair to last the day? Soda, you better have or else you won't able to think. Don't worry guys, I'll never turn respectable. Once a Greaser, always a greaser. So, anything interesting happening back there…..  
  
  
  
A/N: Sooooo… Did ya like it? Tell me what you think by pressing the little box down there. It'll only take you half a minute, but I live on them. REVIEW!!!!!!!!!! 


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